


Out In The Cold

by fallenTerpsichore



Series: Sanctuary [1]
Category: Borderlands
Genre: Axton/Zer0 if you squint, Friendship, M/M, Slow Build, kind of fluffy i like fluffy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-31
Updated: 2014-10-27
Packaged: 2017-12-31 02:40:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1026320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fallenTerpsichore/pseuds/fallenTerpsichore
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Axton and the other Vault Hunters have just been blown up on the train and now he is prone and bleeding in a snowdrift some where in the middle of no where. Who is that tall figure walking toward him through the snow? And what is up with that silly little robot and his belly button fixation?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Windshear Waste

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [Out In The Cold](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3142772) by [ToraTallium](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ToraTallium/pseuds/ToraTallium)
  * Inspired by [Early Morning Kisses](https://archiveofourown.org/works/760466) by [cautiousArdent](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cautiousArdent/pseuds/cautiousArdent). 



> Not the first story(or fanfiction) I have ever written, but the first one I am posting ever. I am so nervous, be gentle with me please. I sincerely hope you enjoy it.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Explosions?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am not sure if I'll put the next chapters here or if I'll post them as seperate stories. I'm thinking if I need to up the rating I will divide them. And to be fair I will warn you that my life is chaotic and have no clear idea on how regular updates will be, but I do have several more pages already written for this arc not sure if it's chapter 4 or 5 yet, but it's one of those and it is done. I went ahead and uped the rating a little bit for this story, don't think I really needed to but better safe than sorry.

Chapter One: Windshear Waste

 

Axton lifted his head, eyebrows quirking up in confusion at the little grumbling robot he could barely make out in the distance through the falling snow. Everything hurt. Oh that's right, some A-hole had tried to blow him up. Now he was bleeding in the middle of nowhere, elbow deep in the snow, and surrounded by the remnants of an exploded train.

"Great another dead vault hunter. Handsome Jack has been busy." The little robot moaned sadly as it dug around in the snow and debris.

There was a dark blur of movement to Axton's left that drew his gaze. It was that tall quiet fellow from the train. His helmet was still on and he seemed to be relatively unharmed. "Lucky bastard," Axton grumbled to himseIf as he began to crawl forward.

The stranger knelt down in the snow placing a gentle hand on his back to halt his pathetic movements, before sliding his hands under Axton's arms and lifting him up into a sitting position.

"Rise and shine, Soldier./" The voice sounded strange; it must have been coming through a speaker in the helmet. "/Now is no time for sleeping./ It is too cold here."

Axton blinked at him in confusion. It was a pleasant enough voice, but there was something a little off about the words.

"Are you badly hurt ?/" Gentle hands brushed over his arms and shoulders checking for injuries. One hand moved up to his face, taking hold of his chin and turning his head from side to side. " / Good, no sign of concussion. / Bruised, but still alive."

"Yeah. It'll take more than that little explosion to put me out of the fight."

The helmet tilted to the side and a red image lit up in front of it. "0.o"

"Little explosion? / You are a strange man-" He drew out the last word and let his sentence drop off as if waiting for something.

"Oh. Uh, name's Axton." Real smooth, he chided himself.

"-Axton./ " He finally finished. Standing up, he offered a hand to the soldier. "/Search for survivors?"

"That's probably a good idea," he said excepting the hand and pulling himself up. "So what do I call you, friend?"

"Friend? I would like that./" 

The red glowy icon appeared again in front of the stranger's helmet. This time it flashed a question mark that quickly morphed into ... was that a smiley face?

"/Please call me Zer0, Axton./" Zer0 turned to survey the area and pointed at one of the bodies. "/Is that the siren?"

He watched the tall man walk off toward a prone figure in the snow and was instantly distracted by the obnoxious loud little robot that declared its name was CL4P-TP or Claptrap.

"Heeeey! You're not dead!" It declared cheerfully. "YES! Now I can get off this glacier! Claptrap, your metaphorical ship has finally come in!!"

Axton endured the cheery little robot's dialogue and retrieved several echo communicators for his trouble. There were only two other survivors, a short bulky guy (dwarf?) named Salvadore and the siren, Maya. He watched her as she bitched out a confused Zer0, who was just trying to be helpful. She was cute, but (dang!) she was so angry. The dwarf was just weird, flitting between Spanish and English and expecting them to follow his crazy talk; well, they all were a little weird. 

There wasn't much to salvage from the train's wreckage, but they did manage to find a few weapons. Salvadore cried dibs on a pair of sub-machine guns, while Maya took a pistol with a scope and Zer0 appropriated the only undamaged sniper rifle. That left Axton with a pretty crappy assault rifle, but he wasn't complaining. Any weapon was better than the alternative and frankly he had always felt more naked without a gun than without clothes. 

They followed CL4P-TP across the snow covered landscape and Axton prayed silently that the little weirdo knew where it was going. He huffed out a sigh of relief and a thank you under his breath, when they finally arrived at the door to a bunker. He was freezing. 

The CL4P-TP unit opened a rather elaborate security door for the middle of nowhere and led them down a short tunnel to a decent sized if messy room filled with a variety of junk. 

"Sorry about the mess. Everything Jack kills, he dumps here -- bandits, Vault Hunters, Claptrap units... If I sound pleased about this, it's only because my programmers made this my default tone of voice! I'm actually quite depressed!" 

As Claptrap puttered around the room explaining the dangers of giant bullymongs, Axton passed around the extra echo communicators. One to each of the other survivors.

 

Later Axton would re-examine his behavior and fret a bit over it, but at the time he didn't think there was anything particularly weird about what he did. He passed the electronics over to Maya and Salvadore without blinking, but instead of just handing the device to Zer0, he felt compelled to attach it to the tall man's belt, turn it on, and calibrate it himself. 

" ':| " Flashed above Zer0 as he tilted his head in confusion at the soldier.

Axton tilted his head as well and looked at the red display again. "Oh, cool. You *are* making faces. "

" :) "

Smiling back at the taller man, Axton clapped him on the shoulder and moved to look around the room. He laughed as Maya opened a closet and half a dozen broken defunct claptrap units spilled out onto her, startling them all. Salvadore was examining (and stealing) from a mock poker game that Claptrap had obviously been playing with himself via some defunct CL4P-TP units as opponents. 

The little robot had no sooner finished remarking on how bullymongs would rip your eyes out, if you weren't careful, than the threat proved itself very real. He was suddenly tackled and pulled into cover by Zer0 as a giant bullymong came into the bunker through a hole in the ceiling and grabbed the little robot. Claptrap screeched in fear as the bullymong, so appropriately named Knuckle Dragger, ripped out his eye and fled with his new treasure. Zer0 stood once the coast was clear and helped Axton up as well. That was a bit too ironic for the soldier's taste.

"The gun ... the gun in the cabinet," gasped the little stunned robot, as it wheeled blindly across the room. 

Axton watched as Zer0 followed the bot across the room straight to the cabinet Claptrap had obviously been referring to and opened it . A single pistol, assorted ammo, and several health vials spilled out onto the floor. Claptrap was apparently not any better at packing cabinets than closets; he was clearly a stack it haphazardly/let's play Jenga kind of person. 

Zer0 picked up one of the medical vials and tossed it to Axton. "Health here." Then he tossed one each to Salvadore and Maya as well. 

Axton looked at the vial in his hand and then back at Zer0. "Are you sure you don't need this?" He asked the assassin, as the other two survivors popped theirs without hesitation. Just because Zer0 didn't look hurt, didn't mean he wasn't. 

"I am well enough. /Do not worry about me. /"

"If you're sure ..."

"/ I am sure, go on. "

"Aren't you two just so sweet? It's making me ill. " Maya griped as she walked over to start sorting through the ammo on the floor.

Zer0's red emoticon display flashed the message "3MT43" briefly before being replaced with a scowl " >:( ". 

Salvadore had spotted the rude message though and let out a short loud belly laugh, to which Maya gave the dwarf a scowl of her own. 

Axton grinned at them both from where Maya couldn't see him. 

"Apart from the excruciating pain, this is great! I've been waiting for a mighty Vault Hunter to help me reach Sanctuary." Claptrap rolled passed them and through a door shaped just like himself. From the other side they heard buttons being pressed, as the robot called out to them. "I will be your wise leader, and you shall be my fearsome minion! Bwhahaha ha hahaha!" 

" Really? " Zer0 asked in unamused disbelief, as his red display showed "WTF BRO". 

Maya snorted and followed the robot through the human sized door that was now open. 

Salvadore laughed again before shouting and bounding after them, "This is going to be AWESOME!"

"I think this is likely to hurt us more than anything, Salvadore." Zer0 called after the small enthusiastic man. 

Axton grinned at Zer0 as he picked up and loaded the crap pistol from the cabinet, before handing it to him. 

"Yeah, but it's not fun unless it hurts a little, right?" Axton said still grinning widely and winked at him. 

Zero rewarded Axton with a brief wicked smile emoticon " >:] " before following him and the others through the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I almost forgot to mention that the "Really?" Zer0 does after Clappy's little fearsome minion speech(lst chapter ) was inspired by real life events. I was replaying the intro for my daughters and my 17 year old mostly non-verbal autistic (i mean this girl almost never speaks) girl looks at my computer screen and did a deadpan deliver of that "Really?" line, it was awesome! And totally had to be included.


	2. Knuckle Dragger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The vault hunters follow a blind robot across the frozen wastes and fight an overgrown bullymong with bad taste in jewelry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of the vault hunters(and Claptrap's) dialogue is of course straight from the game, because let's face it alot of it's absolute comedic gold! Disclaimer: I own nothing.... More's the pity.

Chapter 2 : Knuckle Dragger

Zer0 watched Axton following Claptrap and the others. It was amusing to watch the little robot run into almost every obstacle possible and apparently everyone else was thinking along the same lines. Seeing as none of them had offered any help to the robot in this aspect.

The snow crunched under his feet, as they continued along looking for Knuckle Dragger and Claptrap's eye. Oddly enough there had been a transmission from Handsome Jack (the bastard), making vague threats and suggesting how things should work including offing themselves as a favor. That prompted a round of derogatory statements from everyone in the group, himself included. 

Salvadore shouted, "Screw you, Pendejo." 

Maya chose a simple expletive of, "Asshole," spoken with quiet venom. 

Axton was likewise straight forward in his anger, "Bite me, Douchebag."

Zer0 felt a deep need to sublimate his anger into violence and wished to express it, but with nothing immediately evident to shoot, he would have to settle for words. " You should now be scared / I don't die so easily / And now I am pissed."

There was a long pause that caused Zer0 to glance around puzzled at his companion's silence. Maya was looking at him with one eyebrow raised to her hairline like she had not really seen him before now, Salvadore looked as if he appreciated the colorful threat , but Axton was outright grinning at him in amusement. 

"A little melodramatic don't ya think?" He said teasingly. 

"Did he just threaten Jack in haiku?" Maya asked.

"Yeah. Pretty awesome, huh?" Axton said with a chuckle. 

Maya gave Axton an indecipherable look.

"What? Did you just figure it out? He's been doing that since the train." Axton gave the group a half shrug. "Whatever. I think it's cool."

"What's a haiku?" Salvadore asked. "I thought he was speaking English. "

"It's a type of poetry...," Maya began to explain as Claptrap opened another container door that led up a steep hill to a wide open plateau. "You know what, don't worry about it."

"I thought it was very emotive." Axton said winking at Zer0 as he followed Claptrap up the hill. 

"Show off." Salvadore complained as he followed them, but whether he was complaining about Axton or Zer0 was unclear. 

"Oh hey! My eye just switched back on. I see a handsome robot and a bunch of fearsome looking minions. Which means who ever has my eye is very close ...whuha!"

The little robot hunkered down and shivering he with drew his arms and made himself as small as possible. 

Zer0 dropped to one knee and raised the sniper rifle watching the ridge through the scope carefully for any sign of the monstrous bullymong. 

Maya and Salvadore spread out, each picking a different direction and moving out along the edges of the clearing. Zer0 noted absently that Axton had stayed close by, placing himself in front of the robot and the assassin with his Hyperion assault rifle ready. 

The giant bullymong dropped down from the cliff face with a deafening roar, Claptrap's eye hung on a string around the beast's neck and Zer0 sunk as many shots as he could into the monster's vitals the whole way down to ground level.

It quickly became apparent why the Hyperion forces on the train had been so easy to defeat. The weapons they had looted from the train wreckage were total crap; they were barely making a dent in this monstrosity's hide. The hunters unloaded clip after clip into Knuckle Dragger while dodging the flying debris the bullymong began chucking at them. 

All too soon Zer0 's sniper ammo was depleted. He switched to the pistol, murmuring something grateful to Axton for allowing him to have the 2nd weapon, as the nimble assassin was forced to move by the smaller bullymongs now swarming toward him. 

Axton threw a metal box at them and backpedaled away, shouting "Go get 'em, honey" and cursed loudly when all it did was give an angry fizzle and pop as it hit the ground. Apparently that was NOT what it was supposed to do at all. 

Zer0 glanced around to check on Salvadore and found him flinging his second smg at Knuckle Dragger as the firing mechanism jammed on him. His eyes followed the line of battle and saw Maya summon a bubble of force energy that barely managed to slow down the bullymong that was running pell mell after her. At least he wasn't the only one still weakened by the train explosion, he had yet to be able to activate his stealth mode. Maybe he should have taken one of the earlier health vials for himself. 

In the next moment he paid dearly for his wandering thoughts, as Knuckle Dragger lifted a scrapped vehicle high over his head and pitched it high speed right at the assassin. Zer0 tried to roll out of the way, but the vehicle clipped him and sent him tumbling out across the ice. He had managed to hang onto his pistol somehow, but his head was spinning and he couldn't quite stay on his feet. Zer0 had a sinking feeling that he was going down as his vision began to darken.

He felt sure the others were too busy fighting and anyway none of them knew each other well enough to be overly worried that some stranger in their group was critically injured. That was what made Zer0 so very surprised to feel someone grab his arm and haul him up. He looked up with a "?" and was caught up in Axton's grin and then in his arms as the former Dahl soldier snaked an arm around his middle and pulled him up onto his feet. 

" Wow. Do you work out, or something...?" Axton teased him, his grin widening. 

" ///// "

"Don't worry I got you." Axton added pulling the assassin in close and shooting a bullymong in the face.

There was a terrible poignant pause where Zer0's heart skipped a beat , one where he couldn't form words and then the world seemed to start again and he said the first ones to cross his mind. 

"Thank you for saving / A not so innocent life / By reviving me."

"Always happy to help." Axton assured him as he let Zer0 find his own feet again and move away. 

Zer0 was in the thick of gunfire and growls again and just as suddenly it was all over as the last bullymong in the clearing fell. Silence held reign for only a moment before the little robot began to ramble again. 

"You found my eye? GREAT! "

The rest the robot's rambling was some vaguely disturbing imagery conjured by his words about shoving fists into things and a reference to the blue box adventures "allon-sy".

Before Zer0 could follow Claptrap, Maya, and Salvadore up the hill, Axton stopped him handing him a health vial. At first Zer0 tried to refuse the proffered gift, knowing the soldier and the others had been hurt as well, but Axton would have none of it. 

"Nuh-uh," he said emphatically, no sign of his earlier humor showing on his face this time. "I let you give me the last one and I know exactly how badly you got hurt this time. You use this one or so help me...," He finished forcing the vial into the assassin's hands. 

"Thank You," Zer0 said quietly as he fought to keep his emoticon display blank. It would just be that much more embarrassing to have an " <3" or something even more sentimental on display for all to see, even if it was the truth about how he was feeling. Bad enough that he openly blushed at Axton moments ago. He gave a weak attempt to redirect the conversation. 

"That was a good fight / And a fine challenge for my skills. / This is my right path."

"Yeah, well it could have been much worse I'm sure," Axton grimaced. "You feeling better ?"

" :) "

"Good. I guess we should catch up to the others. Come on. "

Apparently the door ahead was refusing to open for Claptrap and the little robot was claiming that getting eaten alive by bullymongs was not such a bad way to go. Zer0 looked over at his companion and they shared a look of mutual disbelief "O.o " before the robot was interrupted by the mysterious unclear transmission of the unknown woman offering help again.

"So did everyone else see and hear the strange woman open the door for us or was it just me? " Asked the Siren as they joined the others at the now open door. 

There was a round of affirmations from the vault hunters as Claptrap ignored them in favor of his own ramblings and preceded them through the doorway. 

"Oh good, then it's not just me," Maya grumbled as she followed the robot in.

"Should we trust her?" Salvadore asked. "I mean she's very pretty and all, but who is she?"

"I don't trust anyone that easily. " The siren grumbled from inside. 

The others followed Claptrap and Maya and Zer0 listened in amusement as the robot rambled on about how the power of sight and guns were abilities you always wanted in your minions. Well that and pizazz ... pizazz was apparently very important as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry it took me so long to update this story. But I really have been so excited about the kudos I keep getting for such a little short story, it finally inspired me to break thru my writer's block and get another chapter written. Thank you to everyone who checks my story out!


	3. Liar's Berg

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The vault hunters find the mostly abandoned town of Liar's Berg and meet Sir Hammerlock.

Chapter 3

Liar's Berg

Axton watched as the little blind robot explained all about Captain Flynt and his sadistic games of "dodge the blowtorch" and "don't get dunked in the pool of acid". Claptrap rolled forward blindly as he rambled and went careening right off the steep drop towards the little town of Lair's Berg. Apparently someone named Hammerlock lived there and only he was qualified to repair the robot's eye. 

At the bottom of the cliff Claptrap flailed wildly passed another pack of bullymongs that the vault hunters quickly dispatched. However as the group approached the closed gate of Liar's Berg, Handsome Jack's voice came across the holonet again offering a reward to anyone who could take them down. The thoroughly unpleasant Captain Flynt immediately replied that him and his boys would be all to happy to oblige. Axton couldn't really blame them a million bucks was a million bucks, but he still found Jack's first offer a bit of an insult, only a million for all four of them? Surely a better offer would be a million each? Well, he would have to see what he could do to up the ante.

Another unknown voice interrupted, the mysterious Hammerlock, and his theoretical cruelty to puppies aside, he begged the vault hunters for help in dispatching the Captain's men.

The four vault hunter's swarmed into the small town like they had been practicing maneuvers together for years instead of hours. Ah, the joys of working with professionals... or at least folks who knew what the hell they were doing, same difference in Axton's book. It was easy and soon a dozen more bandit and bullymong corpses littered the ground. Apparently it was too easy, if Zer0's complaints were anything to go by. Something about wanting a challenge. Salvadore agreed wholeheartedly as Captain Flynt warned them angrily that this wasn't over.

Maya wandered around looting the corpses, passing out healing vials as she found them and Salvadore began collecting all the guns and ammo that hadn't been destroyed in the fight. Axton followed Claptrap and Zer0 toward what was no doubt Hammerlock's house in a courtyard surrounded by a stone wall and metal gate on the far side of the town. Axton didn't know whether to laugh or be horrified as Hammerlock insisted that Claptrap be allowed to go first and the little robot was promptly incapacitated by a huge jolt of electricity from the fence. Sure, the little guy was annoying as all hell, but Axton thought he was equal parts amusing too. 

Zer0 turned toward him with a " ? " and " :( ". 

The soldier decided he had to agree.

They watched as an older man with 2 robot replacement limbs (his right arm and leg), frog marched out the building behind the gate and saluted them. He looked and sounded rather scholarly, dressed as he was in a classic style explorer's kit and greeting them in heavily accented queen's English. The look was completed by a big bushy moustache that curled at the tips and a pair of smallish round glasses, though one of the lens' was shattered and missing.

The man apologized for frying the little robot, claiming it a sort of self preservation on behalf of his brain cells, and briefly explained how he had come to be trapped there in the Southern Shelf's small and empty town. Bullymong research was evidently a thing that needed to be done, when one was writing an almanac and bestiary for visitors to Pandora. Who knew there was still quite the market for almanacs this far out on the fringes of civilization? Sir Hammerlock then reluctantly admitted that he was in their debt(Claptrap included) for rescuing him from Captain Flynt's thugs and offered to repair the little 'bot and his eye.

Sir Hammerlock began quick and efficient repairs with hands that had obviously seen lots of practice on his own robotic limbs. This far out one had to be as self sufficient as possible. At least it was clear Sir Hammerlock knew what he was doing, even if he didn't really like Claptrap all that much.

"There that should do it!" The elderly gentleman stood up satisfied with his work.

"HA! HA! I am alive!" The little robot squealed as it jumped up and began rolling around in happy circles.

"Oh dear... and he's talking again..."

Axton chuckled quietly to himself as Maya and Salvadore joined them just in time for them all to be insulted in turn. Apparently they all were far uglier then Claptrap remembered(no, that was not the sound of him belly laughing) and Hammerlock was a jerk-bag. The former Dahl agent figured it was a fair enough assessment, a robot was bound to have some strange opinions about human beauty and Hammerlock *had* been kind of a jerk letting Claptrap get fried on the electric fence.

Sir Hammerlock gave a long suffering sigh and turned back to the vault hunters offering to turn the power back on now that it was safe. He looked them all over, his eyes coming to rest on Axton. Why did he feel like the guy was "checking" him out?

"This town is full of useful things for a go-getting slayer of men such as yourself," the gentleman concluded with a wink at the soldier.

Axton barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Oh, yeah. Hammerlock was checking him out... 

~o0o~

Zer0 felt his mild irritation at the older human gentleman in front of him grow, as the man's eyes settled on Axton and stayed there. He had passed over Salvadore, Maya and himself casually enough, but the man paused to look the soldier up and down thoroughly and his right eye twitched closed briefly. Had that been a wink? 

Axton stiffened slightly next to him and Zer0 took advantage of the fact that no one could see exactly were he was looking to glance over at his companion. Axton's mouth was twisting up in a humorless smirk, obviously he had noticed the man's perusal. If the look on the soldier's face was any indication, it wasn't unexpected. Axton clearly was used to being stared at by men and women. Zer0 puzzled at himself for a moment before he realized what was making him uncomfortable... was the appraisal welcome or not? Axton had smiled, but it was not a happy smile. It was very unclear to the assassin.

Regardless, he had to tamp down on the urge to step protectively in front of the soldier. It would be inappropriate of him to be so presumptuous. The gesture would be entirely too possessive in nature and Zer0 puzzled at his desire to shield Axton from their new acquaintance's eyes, because what was the harm in looking really. Even the assassin had been able to appreciate the aesthetics of the soldier's... attributes. 

His confusion and discontent flashed across his emoticon display before he could reign it in. " >:( " 

Sir Hammerlock's eyes widened slightly as he noticed the emoticon that was briefly displayed over the taller man's helmet and then he smiled in barely restrained amusement, before turning to lead them across town to the generator and bounty board.

Zer0's eyes narrowed sharply at the explorer's retreating back as he followed, but he purposefully kept his emoticon display blank as Axton side-glanced at him in question.

Maya and Salvadore joined them at the bounty board and Zer0 deliberately put them in the space between him and Sir Hammerlock, who was standing too close to Axton. Right next to him. Damn it. Why did he care? He felt his control slip and another " :( " flashed above him before he could stop it. No one but Hammerlock could see it though and the man was clearly enjoying taking Axton's attention away from him. 

His stomach turned sour as he noticed the man's eyes wander back over to him and cruise down his own form re-evaluating him. Did Hammerlock think the assassin was jealous of the attention Axton was receiving? Well, then let's disprove his assumptions. He shrugged openly and let a " :P " appear as he turned away to go check the ammo vendor.

He only partially listened as Sir Hammerlock rambled on about Handsome Jack shooting unarmed women and children and how horrible the Hyperion leader was. At least the man was on their side. He was so absorbed in his own thoughts as he stared blankly at the vendor's ammo display that the sudden voice at his shoulder caused his breath to hitch in surprise.

"Anything good in there?" Axton asked. "You've been staring at it long enough."

"No. Not really and / I am lamenting the lack / of selection here."

"Yeah. I see what you mean. Not even any grenades. Pfft. Maybe there will be some shields at least on the medical vendor."

"Little town like this? / They are liable to be crap. / Almost guaranteed. "

"You're probably right, but it'd still be better than nothing. Which is what I have now." Axton smiled up at him as he began walking backwards toward the other vending machine, never taking his eyes off Zer0. "Hurry up or you'll have to wrestle me for the best one," He added, his grin widening.

Zer0 looked at Axton in confusion as the man finally turned to walk away. Was Axton flirting with him? Or was he just being playful? Axton seemed like someone who could be ... either. That was not helpful. His heart stuttered just a little as his eyes drifted down to the soldier's retreating hips. No, he couldn't blame Hammerlock for looking, he thought as his irritation shifted from the explorer to himself. 

Zer0 cursed silently as he was startled yet again, this time by Sir Hammerlock moving up behind him to take his left hand into his. He really needed to wake up and pay attention to his surroundings, or this lack of focus would get them all killed.

"So, my tall friend," the gentleman began with a smile and a glance that made Zer0 feel more than a little violated . "I must say, I am finding your hands and your slender build quite fascinating. Are you perhaps not entirely human? Or are you possibly in possession of robotic enhancements? Like myself, eh?"

Stunned for a moment as he was, his display ran through several images in quick succession "??? , WTF , //////", before he came back to himself enough to pull his hand out the other man's grip and stalk off to join Axton at the nearby medical vendor.

Axton smiled at him and leaned over sideways ever so slightly. "So, Hammerlock was hitting on you too, huh? I do believe the gentleman is into dudes, my friend. We should absolutely engage the buddy system, effective immediately, " he whispered.

"I am not so sure."

Axton gave him a disbelieving raised eyebrow.

"Oh, he's most definately / into you ...and men," Zer0 looked down at his own four fingered hand that he held out to show more clearly to Axton. " But I think that his / interest in me is some- / thing else entirely."

"Maybe. Maybe not. If he makes you feel uncomfortable, just stick close to me. Better yet just stick close to me anyway, 'cause the guy is making me feel a little squicky."

"You are not okay / with same gender relations? / That is good to know."

"What? No, man! I mean, I am totally cool with guys and/or gals or... whatever." Axton looked at him a little worried now. "Unless you mean you're in agreement with what you thought I was implying... that would not be cool. Did that even make any sense? Ugh." Axton looked a little self disgusted as he rolled his eyes.

"I was not neces- /sarily agreeing with / your statement, Axton." Zer0 was looking at the soldier intently, not that the man could see that, so he let his display show a " :) " before he continued. "Gender is not what / is important to me, not / within that context..." 

"Right?! I mean, as long as they are healthy and consenting it's all good, but as for Hammerlock...? Weeeeell, there has to be a bit of chemistry you know and I am not feeling it. I have been known to change my mind, but-," and Axton left it hanging as he followed Maya and Salvadore up the hill toward Marcus' weapon vendor. "You comin'?"

Zer0 nodded and sighed. He had actually been thinking about trust being way more important, but that probably had alot more to do with him being a mutant alien hybrid lab experiment than anything else. Not everyone had responded well to his appearance. Although, Axton did have a point. There most definitely had to be some spark or chemistry. Whatever you wanted to call it. He couldn't help but wonder what Axton would think of his appearance; his blue eyes in fields of black instead of white, the greyish pallor to his skin, and the scars, so many scars.

"I really don't want to pry ...I mean, about the fingers, man, but I am assuming a few things... since you were able to use the med hypos." 

"I am flesh and blood, / If that is what you're asking. / My suit self-repairs. " Zer0 offered, a little unsure.

"Good information," Axton smiled and looked at him with a bit of ... relief? Why would he-? "It could be important to know, if you got hurt bad enough. It could make a difference in whether I needed to get you a repair kit or just more med hypos. Not saying that's why Hammerlock was asking, but it could have been..."

"O.o" Zer0 looked at Axton in disbelief. "Are you trying to / reassure me that I am / attractive to him?"

Axton looked a little abashed. "No! Nooooo! Sorry. Sorry. I'll shut up now. Totally shutting up or changing the subject. Changing the subject is good."

"Hahahaha!"

"Oh my god... You are totally laughing at me. You think I'm funny do you?"

"Yes. I do." Was all Zer0 said as they joined the others at the weapon vendor. " :D "

~o0o~

Oh, for crying out loud. Could that have gone any worse? Axton felt like a complete and utter fool. What had he been saying? What had he been thinking? What on Pandora had possessed him to offer up so much information about his sexual ... flexibility? 

Maya had caught the tail end of their conversation as they had approached and she leaned over to pat him on the back. "Hey, boys. Better you than me." Now both Zer0 and the Siren were laughing together. At him? Or Hammerlock? Whatever... 

'FML!' Axton thought bitterly. Out loud he added, "Anything good on the vending machine, Salvadore?"

"Not really, but it's better than the crap we've got now." Salvadore made what Axton had decided he would call his "poopy face". "And Marcus is way overcharging t'boot! Pretty sure none of us has enough money right now for anything. I say we go mug some bandits for their lunch money... and their guns too, of course!"

Maya gave him a wicked grin. "Sounds like a plan to me!"

"You know I'm good with it," Axton added as he clapped his hands together. "We can also do the odd jobs Hammerlock was offering as well. Cleaning the bullymongs out from around Liar's Berg and getting better shields at that abandoned outpost he mentioned."

"We have a plan, then. / It may not be a good plan, / But it is a plan."

"You're not funny. Not even a little bit. " Axton frowned at him. 

" >;D "

Axton tried to fight it, but the corner of his mouth pulled up with a twitch, giving him away. 

Maya rolled her eyes at them. 

"Haha!" Salvadore laughed as he bounded away from the group back into the town proper. " I'll get the gate! I know we should probably get rid of the bullymongs first , but I want to beat some bandit butts! Daddy needs a new shield!" He added enthusiastically, as the sound of grinding gears ripped through the air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried really hard on Zer0's haikus, but my brain was kind of going numb on the 4th read through and i felt i was probably over thinking it at this point. If you spot a mistake, feel free to let me know.


	4. Southern Shelf

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Axton finds an audio log, Hammerlock leers and Zer0 realizes something important...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has been a long time since I posted, sorry about that. Life has been too crazy. Upside of all the crap, is that now I should have more time to draw and write.

Chapter 4

Southern Shelf

 

Salvadore was bouncing with excitement down the hill away from Lair's Berg with the other vault hunters following close behind, a former Dahl agent, a mysterious assassin type, and a siren of all things. He had been impressed with everyone's ability to keep up with him ever since the train. Thinking about the trap at the train again had the dwarf itching for violence and revenge, what an underhanded dirty trick Handsome Jack had pulled. Not that he didn't fight dirty on occasion, but that had truly been a new level of douche-baggery.

He stopped midway on the ramp to look through a telescope aimed at a cluster of buildings arranged around a tall pillar of ice out in the distance. 

"You think that must be / the outpost, Sir Hammerlock / was speaking about?" Zer0 drew his sniper rifle up and looked through his scope at the structures.

"The old Crimson Raider Safehouse? Yeah."

"A new shield would be good," the siren added as she joined them.

Axton was dragging his feet following them and just now ducking under the gate. Salvadore paused and had to wonder about that. Had the man gone back to talk to Hammerlock again for something? He thought the looks the pretty boy had been getting from the older man had made him uncomfortable. Axton had certainly gone straight over to Zer0 presumably to shield himself from any unwanted advances. Maybe the skinny guy had said something rude. Something had apparently passed between them, because Axton had gotten a little defensive and stopped smiling. Oh, well. It would work itself out or not. 

"So we ready to cause some damage?" Salvadore asked his companions excitedly. He barely waited for the round of nods before he charged down the hill into the bandit's most forward outpost at the bottom of the ramp. 

~o0o~

They cleared the bandits out quickly. They were not much of a challenge. Zer0 gave a heavy sigh as Axton picked up an echo recorder one of them had dropped. The soldier turned it on and it began to play a back a log from one Helena Pierce. He snarled silently to himself as Sir Hammerlock's voice immediately came across their communicators, they had barely stepped outside of the town. Well, the man was obviously excited for information about her fate. She had been the leader of New Haven, one of the many towns that Handsome Jack had completely annihilated. Zer0 remembered hearing about her. He watched as Axton stared at the recorder in his hand for a moment and began walking back up the hill. The assassin was puzzled by the man's actions, but he wasn't sure what he should say if anything.

"Where are you going?" The Siren asked.

Axton looked up as he continued walking past her. "I'm gonna go check it out. You don't need me for these assholes. They are total chumps."

Zer0 watched Axton for a minute. Should he follow the man back into Liar's Berg? Why would the man willingly walk back into the town alone, with Hammerlock waiting and ready to flirt with him again? Axton had asked him to stick close to him, something about the buddy system. Zer0 was familiar with the theory, but the man confused him. His heart rate was all over the place, he offered information and smiles and then he would seem to withdraw. 

Zer0 watched Axton's rapidly disappearing figure and made his decision quickly.

"Will you be okay / to clear out the Crimson Raid- /er Safehouse alone?" Zer0 looked at Salvadore and Maya.

Maya looked at him with a little bit of surprise or was that confusion and then sneered. "Sure, if you want to follow your boyfriend and protect him from the lewd advances of distinguished old gentlemen, be my guest."

" :( " Zer0 frowned at her and grumbled quietly as he slowly followed the soldier back into town. "He is not MY anything."

~o0o~

Maya's jaw dropped as the tall skinny assassin stalked off and she glanced over to Salvadore with one eyebrow raised.

"He didn't speak in haiku that time? Did he?" Salvadore asked with a look.

"No. No, he didn't... I wonder what that means?"

"I bet it means he's pissed at you." Salvadore gave her an evil grin.

Maya snorted.

"I betcha 50 credits I'm right."

Maya just shook her head at the retreating figures. "You probably are."

~o0o~

Sir Hammerlock watched from his position by the bridge, as Axton and Zer0 wandered around his empty little town finding and collecting Helena's echo recorders. He found all the new vault hunters extremely interesting, but these two in particular were very amusing. Especially the taller man with his helmet that displayed the shorthand messages. He had been very easy to rile up. Did he think he was fooling anyone? Following that strapping young soldier around like a puppy.

Oh, and that made Hammerlock sigh again. The soldier, Axton, was lovely; handsome with a quick wit, eager to throw himself into adventure, and an easy smile. Plus the man had swooped in with his friends and taken back the town with swift and sure violence, something that had always turned him on without fail. He was sure Axton had recognized his interest almost immediately and really it had been quite forward of him to flirt so boldly and so quickly, but Hammerlock had always been a sucker for a brave rescue (especially when the person being rescued was himself). So he really couldn't be blamed for trying, though Axton had not really responded. Well, not in the way Hammerlock had hoped he would. Hammerlock had pretty good intuition for recognizing potential partners. He had hoped Axton might be receptive to his flirtations and he might have been, if not for the fact that it was looking more and more likely that the two men walking around Liar's Berg might be already involved with each other.

~o0o~

"Why are you following me, Zer0?" Axton asked the assassin, as he pulled the last recorder out of what looked like a trash bin on the side of a house. "It's just collecting a bunch of audio logs. I think I can handle it."

"I thought you asked me /to use the buddy system? / Did you not mean it?"

Axton looked at the taller man a little surprised and gave him a small lop-sided grin. "Yeah, I did ask you to do that and yeah, I meant it, but I didn't think you would." (It's kind of sweet that you did though, Axton thought to himself.) "Thanks. I appreciate it." 

Axton glanced over at Hammerlock as he hit the play button on the last recorder. The gentleman was looking at them both and looking a little downhearted, but it was unclear whether that was because of the audio logs they had been listening too or because Zer0 was doing a bang up (if unintentional) job in making Hammerlock believe Axton was already involved with someone else. He shrugged to himself, before he turned to walk over to Sir Hammerlock and give him the logs, with Zer0 in tow. It didn't really matter did it? As long as the results were the same. As long as Axton didn't have to turn the man down directly. He didn't want to ruffle anyone's feathers and this man's good will could be a valuable asset. He really didn't want to make things more difficult for himself or for the others.

~o0o~

Zer0 returned Axton's tentative smile with a simple emoticon " :) " and felt a squeezing feeling in his chest. What was that? Was that his heart? He paused and quickly ran a diagnostic on himself. Everything looked normal enough... there had been a slight stutter in his heart beat, but that did happen occasionally... Oh. 

Ooooohhh... His heart stuttered again as realization hit him.

Zer0 slowly followed behind Axton to give Hammerlock the audio logs they had collected. Knowing that no one could see were his eyes were looking had often allowed him to observe others with impunity and he took full advantage of it now to test his newly realized theory, his feelings for the soldier in front of him. Was it affection or attraction though?

He let his eyes drift downward to the soldier's hips as he moved away and his heart felt like it was being crushed. Inconclusive. His eyes followed the line of the soldier's back up to his shoulder's and the man's twinkling eyes as he half turned to look at Zer0 and ask, "Are you coming or not, Buddy?"

Zer0's heart felt a rush of warmth and then it felt like it was being squeezed to death and going to fly out of his chest at the same time as Axton smiled at him. Oh, so not one or the other then, it was both. And why did everything sound like an innuendo when you were infatuated with someone? "Coming"? Really?

"Sigh."

Axton laughed. "Did you just SAY sigh? Instead of just doing it?"

" :( "

Axton merely grinned at him as he took the other audio logs out of Zer0's hands and passed them over to Hammerlock. Zer0 watched with satisfaction as the older man's attempts to make eye contact and flirt with the soldier failed. Axton had barely taken his eyes off Zer0 to look at the other man. Zer0 tried to keep his emoticon screen blank he really did, but he was not completely surprised when a smile slipped out. He supposed he should feel bad about being delighted at Hammerlock's failure. It probably made him a bad person that he didn't, but he couldn't really care about that as Axton continued to smile at him.

Zer0 watched both men closely as Axton briefly turned to Hammerlock and gave him a slight salute in thanks as he accepted the reward for the recovered audio logs, before the soldier jogged off toward the ramp to rejoin the others. The assassin followed slowly, glancing back at Hammerlock when he heard the man give a heavy sigh. Maybe he really was a terrible person, because he couldn't stop the next emoticon that flashed up for the older gentleman. " >:P " .

He couldn't stop the blush emoticon either, when Hammerlock let out a belly laugh at his cheeky behavior. " ///// "

And if he spent the next several hours, finding every chance to touch or brush against the soldier in a desperately conceived experiment to try to determine if the man was just friendly or possibly interested, then at least no one called him out on it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is completed already. I will probably wait about a week to post it though 'cause I am having a little bit of writer's block on where to go from there.


	5. Blackburn Cove

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The vault hunters take on the bandits in Blackburn Cove and take a brief break in the bitter cold of the southern shelf bay. Zer0 can absolutely use the cold as an excuse to curl up next to a friend, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You want to know a secret? I totally wrote this chapter first....
> 
> And for some reason I am almost more nervous about posting this one than the others.

Chapter 5 

Blackburn Cove

~o0o~

Axton watched as Zer0 pulled out his sniper rifle and began shooting the bandits holed up in the Blackburn Cove. It was a pleasure to watch him work his head shot magic and then he just had to start reciting one of those odd little haikus. " Critical killing / Is an art unto itself / And I am Rembrandt." Axton didn't normally care for poetry, but this was different. The skinny assassin calling himself Rembrandt, made Axton smile. He hadn't fully recognized the signs though, not until Zer0 gave a soft maniacal giggle ("Hehehe") after head-shotting another psycho and the butterflies erupted low in his belly. 

Oh, shit. Axton cringed internally. No. No. No. This was not good.

It wasn't that he had been entirely unaware of his preference for Zer0's company or that he was oblivious to the draw the tall slender figure had on his eyes. It was the clear giddy feeling of fresh infatuation, that surprised him and had Axton bemoaning his fate... and his hormones. Those bastards were always getting him into trouble, but then he could hardly lie to himself, hormones rarely came with butterflies.

This was the first stirrings his heart had shown since the divorce papers had come across the echo net over a month ago; and a slightly sour taste filled his mouth, as his thoughts drifted to his wife. She had done it quickly and with him in absentee too. He was not sure what had hurt the most, the fact that she had dumped him without shedding a tear, throwing his ring back in his face, or the fact that he knew if he hadn't run that night (granted as per her suggestion), she would've done her duty and shot him in the morning. At least she had still cared enough to give him the heads up about his court martial and the option to run, then again it was much more likely it was just a show of loyalty for their comrades. Whether their team actually cared about him or not; she would have lost alot of trust and respect, if she had turned too readily on her own spouse.

Axton glanced over at Salvadore and Maya moving across the bridge and followed reluctantly. He suddenly wanted to get very very drunk or maybe find a quiet corner to go throw up in and have a bit of a cry.. or maybe all three. Zer0 stood up next to him and moved to join them. He stepped behind Axton out of an obviously long ingrained habit to not pass in front of a raised weapon, brushing against him as he did. The butterflies danced in Axton's belly again and flew up to pound in his chest and dance along the nerves of his arms. He turned sharply to glance at the taller man, had he done that on purpose?

That wasn't the first or last time Zer0 "accidentally" brushed up against him either. Every time they paused for a breather, Zer0 would stand too close. Often Axton would turn and find the assassin right there, asking for spare sniper ammo. Shoulders and arms kept grazing against Axton, as Zer0 reached across him for something from this or that chest of supplies.

Axton was some what grateful for the cold weather. At least he hoped his cold reddened nose and cheeks partially hid the embarrassed flush that he could feel constantly creeping up his face. Maybe the next time they were in Liar's Berg he would change into his full winter gear with the hood, scarf and snow goggles just to be safe. 

Later that night came what Axton would eventually decide he was going to name either "the incident" or "the last straw", but he ultimately chose to go with "my undoing" in the end, as it had a more dramatic sound to it and the description felt a lot more accurate. 

The group had spent the whole day clearing out the areas around the Southern Shelf and after fighting MidgeMong they all agreed that a brief nap/respite was in order before heading back to Hammerlock and Claptrap in Liar's Berg. Salvadore elected himself for first watch and took up position by the door, while Maya (the queen bitch) took the couch, the WHOLE couch. 

Axton turned with a sigh to the door that the two bad asses had come thru, hopeful that their combined badassery had at least earned them some material comforts. He hadn't noticed Zer0 following him into the backroom, but was hardly surprised when he turned around and found him there. It wasn't as if the assassin shadowing him was anything new. Axton decided to say nothing and glanced around the room. 

The "room" was more like a glorified closet with only two bedrolls and half a dozen pillows scrunched up together. 

"Um.... Cozy," Axton mumbled as he laid down on his side and grabbed one of the pillows. 

" ?" In red emoticon display, was all the answer Zer0 gave him, as he laid down on the bedroll as well and proceeded to curl himself up against Axton.

"Dude?!" Axton half sat up and turned around to glare at the assassin. "What are you doing?"

"Shut up. I am cold. / As my friend, You are obli-/ gated to share warmth." Zer0's emoticon display flashed what was likely meant to be some sort of disgruntled booboo face at Axton, as the assassin drew up the other bedroll for a blanket over the both of them. 

Axton huffed out an exasperated sigh and grumbled as he laid back down. "Just as long as you understand, I am not the little spoon here. Capisce?"

"Of course." Came the choked off reply.

Axton could feel the body behind him shaking slightly, so he turned his head back around in concern to check on his friend and caught sight of his flickering emoticon display instead. 

" ';} "

"And quit laughing! Or I'll make you go sleep on the couch with Maya! " Axton threatened. 

"Understood." The happy emoticon was replaced quickly with a blank faced " :| " , but the humor still laced his voice. 

"I'm not kidding. I will kick you right out that door."

"Please, no. She's angry. / I am not laughing. No, sir. / Just let me stay here." Zer0 pleaded as he drew the blanket over his head, so his emoticon display couldn't betray him again. 

"Fine! Just - just be quiet." Axton grumbled in a hushed voice. He closed his eyes tightly and forced his breathing to stay slow and steady. How was he supposed to rest with that lean body curled up to him, causing about three dozen butterflies to tango in his belly? Ugh! 

Funnily enough, deep breathing and being frankly exhausted made sleep not as completely elusive as Axton had feared. He was awakened suddenly from a dreamless sleep an hour later by the vibrating alarm on his wrist watch to find Zer0 doing a fair imitation of a clingy octopus. The warm slender body at his back was not just curled up close and pressing against him anymore, but half draped over him with one arm wrapped around his waist and both their legs tangled together.

Oh, it would be so uncool for the others to find them like this, Axton thought to himself slightly horrified. His very next thought was how much he wished it was okay to just relax and enjoy this, because considering the state of his pants, he needed to take some private time to do just that. He had just decided that he really should try to figure out how to get up without waking the other man, when the soft voice spoke directly in his ear.

"Good morning, Starshine, / the earth says hello, Axton. / Did you sleep well, friend?"

Axton couldn't help the chuckle that spilled out. "Song lyrics? Dude, really?"

Zer0 quickly disentangled himself from Axton and hopped up and away, as if he had been burned.

"Zer0?" Axton asked, but the assassin said absolutely nothing as he picked up his weapons and hurried out of the room. There was also no tell tale sign of red from his emoticon display to give him any clues about the man's sudden departure.

"The hell?!" The soldier griped at Zer0's retreating form as the door swung shut again. 

'What the hell was that? Good morning starshine to cold shoulder in less than five seconds? Did I do something wrong? Was it that I laughed? Did he not realize he was flirting till just now? Was he embarrassed? Does he regret it?' Puzzled, Axton glared down at his crotch. 'No point in standing at attention like that soldier, obviously no one else is as interested as you.'

Axton had just finished adjusting his pants and checking his shield and weapons before Salvadore stuck his head through the door. 

"You decent, amigo? " He asked appearing cautious. 

"Yeah, of course I am. I'm fucking awesome even," Axton grumbled bitterly as he shoved the door open and stomped passed the dwarf. 

"Cool. Just let me catch 30 minutes of zzzzs and then we can get the hell out of here."

"Peachy keen," he grumped as the door swung shut.

Axton gave a brief glance around the room. Maya was still sound asleep on the couch and Zer0 was kneeling in the doorway sniper rifle out, peering around the bandit refuge through the scope. 

" I'm gonna recon, while you hold down the fort." He told the assassin quietly as he checked his ammo supply. 

"Are you sure that's wise? " Zer0's helmet turned with a questioning tilt toward Axton.

At least he assumed Zer0 was looking at him, not that he could tell anything at all through that helmet, especially when his emoticon display remained blank like it was now. It was irritating. 

" The bandits will regroup soon. You shouldn't go-" There was a pause as he seemed to be searching for a different word. "... alone. "

Axton snorted and gave him a depreciating smirk that kind of said. 'Yeeeah. You don't really get to pull that one now, buddy. '

"I just need some air, you know." He said with false cheerfulness. "That back room was a bit claustrophobic. Besides, I won't be alone. I'll have the missus with me as backup. Now that she's all repaired and functional. " He winked at Zer0 and gave the deployment unit for his turret an affectionate pat, before slinking off down the ramp.

~o0o~

Zer0 watched Axton skulk off, the unease and regret curling in his belly. He knew he had hurt his new friend's feelings; he wasn't stupid. 

Okay, so maybe he was a little stupid. It had been a supremely bad idea to ... snuggle up to the soldier, even if he had been honestly freezing. Waking up wrapped around that warm fit body had been nice and normally Zer0 didn't do nice. 

He had felt torn for a moment, between happy that his helmet was hiding the no doubt goofy grin spreading across his face and wishing it far far away, so that he would have been free and clear to nuzzle that warm neck. Maybe even cover it in kisses or nip the tender skin behind the ear or lick his way down ... see, he scolded himself , very very bad idea. 

Of course the worst part had been that horrifyingly cheesy line. "Good morning, Starshine"?? What in the world had his tired fuzzy brain been thinking? True Axton had laughed and it hadn't sounded mocking so much as amused. Still, Zer0 had not been able to stop himself from speeding a hasty retreat from the room in shame and horror. Damn it, he was the worst kind of coward. 

Now Axton was sneaking off into enemy territory alone, because of Zer0's what? Lack of courage/sense/character/self control ? Take your pick. He really didn't want Axton to get hurt. Perhaps he should just follow him and make sure he was okay.

First he would have to wake up the Siren and ask her to stand guard for Salvadore... Well, crap. Maybe if he was lucky she wouldn't ask him any embarrassing questions.


	6. Finding a Vault Symbol

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zer0 follows Axton to apologize.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Either it is not letting me post the whole chapter or I just can't see it all for some reason... hope this works. 
> 
> edit:  
> yeah... it's not working I am going to have to email it to myself and post it from the computer instead of my tablet. it's never done this to me before. gr..... it wasn't a long chapter, but it wasn't that short, honest.
> 
> Edit:  
> Darn, heartbroken emote wouldn't publish, at least I figured out what was going wrong...it should be all now fixed.

Of course he wasn't that lucky. In fact his embarrassment and worry was quickly bleeding into irritation.

"Wha -?" The sleep mussed Siren whined tiredly as she pulled the blanket up over her head. "Wwwwhhy aren't you still fucking your boy-toy? Or sleeping it off? Why do I have to be awake? Where's Axton run off to that you have to rush to follow. "

Yep, getting irritated.

"I am not his keeper./ But I fear he's not clear headed /and it is my fault.--?"

"Why is it your fault? What'd you do?" Sleepily she pulled the blanket down and glanced back at the room they had occupied, the wheels in her head leading her to what she thought was the most obvious conclusion. "What happened?"

Zer0 looked at her blankly in confusion; she sounded almost kind/ compassionate/ concerned?

"Did it not go well? I mean, I thought he was definitely interested... Sal and I both- did you have a fight?" The siren was definitely fishing for information now. "You did make some kind of move, right?"

Zer0 flinched. It had been years since he'd lost control of that particular reflexive reaction.

"Oh." Maya gave a heavy sigh and frowned in disappointment at him. "Really? Why do you think Sal and I let you two have the room with the solid door?"

" </3 "

"Okay. No. Don't make that face at me." She sat up throwing the blanket off as she swung her legs around. "I'm up. Go. Do what you gotta do."

Zer0 wasted no time arguing and hurried out the door.

He found Axton just a few minutes later under a nearby platform, hiding back in a corner behind some kind of machinery columns and sitting beneath-oh, look- another vault symbol.

~o0o~

Axton glanced briefly up at Zer0's approach, apparently very grumpy.

"Why are you following me, Zer0?"

"You are upset with me."

Axton was unsure of what to say, if anything. He took note immediately that there was no haiku forth coming. It seemed as if the assassin was looking for confirmation, but it really hadn't sounded like a question.

"Yes, maybe I was." Axton answered in a clipped tone. He couldn't help feeling cranky about it. He had gone out by himself to clear his head and maybe find some privacy for a wank and this was so not helping his mood. He couldn't really curb his hostility as he asked, "Did I say or do something wrong earlier? Did I offend you somehow?"

At first Zer0 didn't say a word. He stared in silence a moment longer and then just shook his head no, as his emoticon display flashed "///// " at the irrate soldier.

If only Axton could have seen the surprised gaping fish impression he was making under his mask to go with his blush, it might have gone a long way to enlighten and soften the other man's attitude.

"Then why did you run off like that?" He snapped. "Without a word?"

"You did nothing wrong./" Zer0 turned away defensively even though Axton couldn't see his face at all."My embarrassment's over- /whelming, time to flee."

"Don't you dare." Axton hissed as he reached out to grab Zer0's arm, just in case of a repeat performance. "Embarrassed? Why? Cause I laughed at your song reference?"

"It was overly / familiar and sentimental. / I felt most foolish."

Axton's anger and hurt finally began to ebb and he sighed. "Nah, man. Don't be stupid. I thought it was funny."

"Funny?"

"Yeah." Axton sighed in relief. He wasn't quite feeling good enough to smile again, but at least he felt a bit more hopeful. The skinny assassin had just been bashful, he could deal with that. He could even find it adorable, even if he'd never say it out loud. "So, we're all cool? Right?"

"Yes." Zer0 flashed a smiley emoticon at him and nodded with enthusiasm. "This thing between us. / It is important to me. / I want your friendship."

"Sure... friends." Axton could feel his heart plummet in his chest. "We can totally be friends."

"I've upset you again. Do you not want to be friends? Speak to me."

"No, it's okay. I want us to be friends." Axton forced a smile to his face. "Friends is a good place to start."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... I am sorry I took me so long to post this. I have had it written for a while and I had just wanted it to be more, it just felt too short, but it won't let me. So I figured you all had been patient enough and I had better get something posted. It's better than nothing right? I promise I have not abandoned this story .


End file.
